Does interest income from banks/CDs count against SSDI limits or just earned wages?

Oh thank goodness! I was so worried. So just to be clear, even if I earned like $500 in interest for the year, my SSDI wouldn't be reduced at all? That's such a relief!

Thanks for mentioning that! I'm only on SSDI, not SSI, so sounds like I'm ok. It's confusing how similar the names are but they have different rules.

This is why i hate dealing with SS!!! One program counts this income, another doesnt, then they tax you on weird formulas nobody understands. Its like they WANT us to make mistakes!!!

That sounds awful! Did you eventually get backpay for those 4 months?

yeah but it was a nightmare trying to pay bills while waiting. had to borrow from family

Thanks for the tip! I've tried calling SSA before and it's been impossible to get through. I'll check out that service if I need to talk to someone. For now I'm relieved to hear interest won't affect my SSDI!

this is good advice. my brother got a letter asking about some money that went into his account and it was just a gift from our mom but he had to prove it

Are you sure your aunt was on SSDI and not SSI? SSI (Supplemental Security Income) has strict asset and income limits, including counting interest income. SSDI has no asset limits and doesn't count unearned income. This is a common area of confusion.

idk maybe it was SSI she just called it disability. i get confused with all these letters

Thank you for sharing your 5-year experience! That's really valuable to hear from someone who's been through multiple reviews with interest-earning accounts. I'm curious - when you called SSA to confirm this, did they give you any documentation or reference number for the call? I'm wondering if it's worth getting something in writing just in case different representatives give conflicting information down the road. Your point about keeping up with inflation is exactly what motivated me to ask this question in the first place!

That's a great question about documentation! Unfortunately, SSA phone representatives don't typically provide reference numbers for general information calls like this. However, what I did was immediately write down the date, time, and representative's name (when they gave it), plus detailed notes about what they told me. I also found the official SSA publication "Working While Disabled - How We Can Help" (Publication No. 05-10095) which clearly explains that only earned income counts toward SGA limits for SSDI. Having that official publication has given me peace of mind because it's directly from SSA in writing. You can find it on their website or request a copy. It's always smart to have official documentation rather than just relying on phone conversations!

That's a really smart question about getting documentation! I wish I had thought to ask for a reference number back then. The representative didn't offer anything in writing, and honestly I was just so relieved to get a clear answer that I didn't think to request it. But you're absolutely right that different reps sometimes give conflicting info. If you do call, it might be worth asking if they can send you something in writing or at least getting the rep's name and date of the call for your records. The SSA website does have some general info about what counts as earned income, but having a direct confirmation about your specific situation could give extra peace of mind!

That's a great question about getting documentation! Unfortunately, when I called SSA they didn't provide any written confirmation or reference number - it was just a verbal explanation. But you're absolutely right to think about getting something in writing if possible. What I did instead was save screenshots of the official SSA website pages that explain the difference between earned and unearned income, and I printed out the section from their disability handbook that specifically lists what counts as "substantial gainful activity." That way if I ever get a representative who seems confused, I have the official SSA policy to reference. The SSA website has a pretty clear explanation under their SSDI section about what income affects benefits, which might be worth bookmarking for your records!

That's a really smart question about getting documentation! I didn't think to ask for a reference number at the time, but you're absolutely right that different reps sometimes give different answers. From what I've learned, the official SSA policy is documented in their Program Operations Manual System (POMS) - specifically section DI 10505.001 which defines countable income for SSDI. You could reference that if you ever need to show that investment income doesn't count. But honestly, in 5 years and 2 reviews, they've never even asked about my bank accounts since SSDI doesn't have asset limits like SSI does. Still, keeping good records never hurts!

That's a great question about getting documentation! When I called SSA years ago, they didn't provide any reference number or written confirmation - it was just a verbal explanation. But you're absolutely right that different reps can sometimes give conflicting info. What I did instead was print out the official SSA publication about SSDI work rules (you can find it on ssa.gov) which clearly states that only earned income counts toward SGA limits. I keep that with my other important disability paperwork. The Red Book (SSA's guide to work incentives) is another good official source that explains the difference between earned and unearned income. Having those official SSA publications has given me peace of mind that I'm following the actual written rules, not just relying on what one phone rep told me!